Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli troops in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday. During the visit, he vowed to continue the fight against Hamas terrorists, saying, “We are not stopping. The war will continue until the end, until we finish it, no less.”
Israel has been under pressure from the United States, its closest ally, to shift operations in Gaza to a lower-intensity phase and reduce civilian deaths. However, Mr. Netanyahu said the war was far from over and dismissed speculation that his government might call a halt to the fighting. He emphasized that Israel would not succeed in freeing its remaining hostages without applying military pressure.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad are believed to be holding more than 100 hostages captured during their Oct. 7 rampage through Israeli towns. Israeli airstrikes continued into Christmas Day, with at least 70 people killed in airstrikes targeting different areas in central and southern Gaza. The Israeli military has been committed to minimizing harm to civilians, claiming that Hamas operates in densely populated areas and uses civilians as human shields, which Hamas denies.
Strikes persisted as the Israeli military said that it had largely achieved operational control in the north of Gaza and would expand operations further south. Diplomatic efforts for a new truce to free the remaining hostages have yielded little progress. Additionally, celebrations in Bethlehem were canceled, and Palestinian Christians held a candle-lit Christmas vigil with hymns and prayers for peace in Gaza.